Switch



July 22, 1941. w. H. FISCHER 2,249,949

SWITCH Original Filed June 1, 193'? 2 Sheeis-Sheet 1 (1 0 0 o o 0 o o 'gz7 29g 00 O O// Q ()0 July 22, 1941. w, H FISCHER 2,249,949

SWITCH Original Filed June 1, 193'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Pumas July 22, 1941 SWITCH William 11. Fischer, Des Plaines, 111., aasignor to Knapp-Monarch Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation Missouri Original application June 1, 1937, Serial No.

Divided and this application September 11, 1939, Serial No. 294,351

4 Claims.

An object of my present invention is to provide a vaporizer appliance, which is economical to manufacture, yet which serves effectively the purpose of vaporizing medicants or other chemicals and discharging the vapor thereof into a room or other enclosure. The present application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No.. 145,819, filed June 1, 1937.

A further object is to provide an electrically operated vaporizer which may be made small and is preferably of squat dome-shape to minimize the possibility of the vaporizer being accidentally tipped over.

Another object is to provide a vaporizer hav ing a container for water or the like and a simple chemical supporting means and vapor directing spout associated therewith.

Another objec': is to so arrange the spout or nozzle that the vapor can be directed at different angles relative to the container to suit the convenience of the user.

Still another object is to provide a switch mechanism for [19 heating element of the appliance, which in=:ludes a bimetal latch operable to automaticall' open the switch when the heat of the applianc, becomes excessive due to complete vaporizati in of the liquid contained therein.

Another Objl .t is to provide a simple switch unit which may be mounted within the base of the vaporizer appliance, and which has an operating handle extending from the base for the purpose of manually turning the vaporizer on or off, and which also automatically turns the vaporizer off due to complete vaporization of water therefrom, and consequent generation of excess heat, which would render the vaporizer unfit for service if this contingency were not automatically taken care of.

A further object is to provide a chemical supporting cup and a nozzle member covering the cup, the nozzle member being rotatable and having its nozzle portion arranged at an angle relative to the plane of rotation, the nozzle member being located off-center relative to a domeshaped container, whereby rotation of the nozzle makes it possible to point the nozzle in various angular directions to suit the particular needs oi the user.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my vaporizer appliance, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section of a vaporizer appliance embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing a plan view of the combination manual and automatic switch, which I use for controlling the heating element oi myappliance.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the switch per se, showing it in closed position as distinguished from the open position in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line l4 of Figure 3, showing the switch latched in the closed position.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the portions oi the switch which are 0! major importance.

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure 2, showing the parts on an enlarged scale.

Figures 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views showing the operation of the manual latch releasing mechanism of my mtch; and

Figure 9 is a sectional view similar to a portion of Figure 1, showing a modified construction of the spout On the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference character C to indicate generally a container. The container C is preferably of dome-shape and is provided with a bottom member 10. A heating element H is positioned against the bottom in for heating the contents of the container 0. The heating element is retained in position by set screws ll threaded through a cover plate ii. The cover plate I2 rests on an annular bead it of a base wall it, extending downwardly from the bottom ID of the container C.

The cover plate II has a series of lugs i5 at its periphery adapted to pass through notches i6 oi the bead i3 when the lugs and notches register with each other, after which the cover plate is turned for instance to the position shown in Figure 2, whereupon tightening of the set screws ii both holds the heating element H against the bottom i0 and the cover plate I! against the bead i3. I

A neck i1 extends upwardly from the container C and is preferably located ofi-center relative thereto, so that its axis is at an angle relative to the vertical. Depending within the neck i1 is a chemical cup CC having a perforated bottom ii. The cup CC depends within the neck i1 and has an enlarged upper end is resting on the upper end of the neck to limit inward movement of the cup relative to the neck.

The cup CC is adapted to contain chemical, such as mentholatum or the like, which is preferably contained within the cup by saturating a piece of cotton 20 with liquid mentholatum.

It will be obvious that vapor formed by volatizing water within the container C will pass upwardly through the perforations of the cup bottom l8 and in turn vaporize the chemical with which the cotton 20 is saturated.

Covering the neck I! and the cup CC is a nozzle member N. The nozzle member N includes a tapered sleeve portion 2| i'rictionally fitting over the neck l1 and a nozzle portion 22. The nozzle portion 22 is at an angle relative to the axis of the sleeve portion 2| so that when the sleeve portion is rotated to diflerent positions, for instance as shown by solid and dotted lines in Figure 9, the nozzle will be directed at different angles.

Thus the vaporizer may be set on a chair or table and the nozzle will direct the water and chemical vapor outwardly when the nozzle is in the full line position or the vaporizer appliance may be placed on the floor and the vapor directed upwardly as shown by dotted lines.

For convenience in handling the nozzle N, I provide a knob 23 secured thereto.

Due to the taper fit between the elements I! and 2|, the two are held i'rictionally against rotation after once being adjusted.

As shown in Figure 9, the chemical cup CC instead of being removable as in Figure 1 may be fixed relative to the container C. The nozzle member N may then ilt within the cup CC, the nozzle member in this instance having a sleeve 2la tapered to fit within the cup.

The operation as to adjustment in either case is the same.

Opposite the neck I1, I provide a handle 24 on the container C for convenience in carrying it or placing it in a desired position.

Electrical connection is made in the usual manner to the heating element H by connector prongs 25, with which the usual supply cord plug may be associated.

The circuit 01' the heating element passes through a pair of spring contacts 28 and 21, as shown diagrammatically in Figure 3. Thus the contacts 28 and 21 control the energization of the heating element H. The contacts are mounted on a sub-base 28, which in turn is supported on the cover plate l2 by means of rivets 29. These are insulated relative to the sub-base 28 as shown in Figure 6, the sub-base being electrically connected with the spring contact 26, while the spring 21 is connected to the sub-base 28 by rivets 30 being insulated therefrom, as also shown in this figure.

A contact engaging lever 3| is pivoted on a rivet 32. This lever is normally retained in contact disengaging position by a spring 33.

A manually operable controller consists of a lever 34 formed of insulating material and having a portion 35 pivoted on the rivet 32. This portion is provided with a latch release arm 3!. The portion 35 has shoulders 31 and 33 adapted to engage shoulders 31a and 38a respectively of the contact engaging lever 3|, the distance between the shoulders 31a and 38a being greater, however, than the distance between the shoulders 31 and 33 to provide a lost motion connection.

The lever 3| is provided with a catch 39 adapted to cooperate with a latch 40. The latch 40 is carried by a strip of bimetal 4| which is anchored to the sub-base 28. Referring to Figure 4, heat aifecting the bimetal strip 4| will cause it to warp upwardly to the dotted position illustrated.

Practical operation In the operation of my device, the container C is partially filled with a volatizable liquid, such as water, and the piece oi cotton 30 is saturated in the desired medicant or chemical and then placed in the cup CC. The nozzle member N is then placed in position covering the cup and the nozzle 22 is adjusted as desired. Referring to Figure 2, the switch is in on position. By swinging the lever 34 from the position of Figure 2 to the position of Figure 3, the lever 3| causes the contacts 28 and 21 to engage to thus establish the circuit of the heating element. A cam surface 38a of the catch 39 during the heating operation of the switch will raise the latch 40, and when the lever 34 is at its own limit of movement, the latch 40 will drop behind a shoulder 39b of the catch 39, as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 7.

When it is desired to turn on the appliance, the lever 34 is swung from the position of Figure 3 to the position of Figure 2, the cam 36 during this movement assuming first the position of Figure 7 and then the position of Figure 8. In the Figure 8 position, it will be noted that the latch 40 has been raised to the top of the shoulder 39b so that the spring 33 will thereafter swing the lever II to its initial position shown in Figure 2.

If the appliance is permitted to remain energized until the liquid has been completely vaporized, excessive heat will automatically warp the latch carrier 4| to the dotted position of Figure 4, thus releasing the latch 40 from the catch 39 and permitting the spring 33 to automatically move the lever 3| to its initial position and thus break the circuit between the contacts 28 and 21.

Thus it will be obvious that I have provided a means for manually rendering the vaporizer operable or inoperable and which also acts as a safety means to automatically render it inoperable upon complete volatization of the liquid from the container C and consequent overheating of the appliance, when this contingency is not provided for.

Some changes may be made in the arrangement and construction of the various parts of my vaporizer appliance without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of construction or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. A thermal cut-out switch comprising contacts, a member for engaging said contacts with each other, a catch for retaining said member in contact engaging position and a bimetal latch for said catch, said bimetal latch being responsive to heat and operable when so responsive to release said latch from said catch, a releasing device for releasing said latch from said catch, means biasing said contact engaging member to return to non-contact engaging position, a single control means manually operable through a lost motion connection to move said contact engaging member to contact engaging position and said latch to latching position in one position of said control means and to latch releasing position in another position of said control means, and a latch releasing element interposed between said control means and said latch to effect releasing of said latch by said control means, said latch releasing element being directly connected with said control means, said lost motion connection preventing interference of said catch with the movement of said latch releasing element to released position.

2. A thermal cut-out switch comprising contacts, a manually operable lever for engaging said contacts with each other to establish a circuit therethrough, a catch operated by said lever and adapted to operate said latch to a position for retaining the lever in contact engaging position, a bimetal latch for said catch, said bimetal latch being responsive to heat and operable when so responsive to release said latch from said catch, a manually operable releasing device for releasing said latch from said catch comprising a latch releasing device adapted to operate said latch to a position for releasing the latch, said latch releasing device being operated by said manually operable lever when moved in a direction opposite that required for latching the lever in contact engaging position and means biasing said manually operable lever to return to non-contact engaging position. i

3. A thermal cut-out switch comprising normally engaged contacts, a cam shaped catch for retaining said contacts engaged, a bimetal latch for said catch, said catch being adaptable upon movement to latch said catch by camming action on said latch, said bimetal latch being responsive to heat and operable when so responsive to release said latch from said catch, a manually operable cam shaped releasing device for releasing said latch from said catch by a similar camming action on said latch and means biasing said contacts to disengaged position.

4. A thermal cut-out switch comprising spring opened contacts, a manually operable lever for engaging said contacts with each other against the bias of the spring to establish a circuit through said switch contacts, a catch for retaining said lever in circuit closing position, a temperature responsive latch for said catch, said latch being operable, when responding to heat, to release said latch from said catch, a manually operable cam device for releasing said latch from said catch by camming action against said latch to lift it relative to said catch and means biasing said manually operable lever to return to noncontact engaging position.

WIILIAM H. FISCHER. 

